A care home firm has been fined £1.9m after a resident choked to death on her dinner.
HC-One Limited admitted health and safety failings which led to the death of Margaret Campbell, 96, at Cradlehall Care Home in Inverness on 11 June 2022.
The company said it was “shocked and saddened” by the incident and accepted it “should never have happened”.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Mrs Campbell was on a specialist diet of soft, moist and bite-sized food and her care plan stated she should be closely supervised when eating and drinking.
However, on the day of the tragedy the unit she was accommodated in was being staffed by two agency carers who had responsibility for 12 residents.
After being served macaroni and chips while sitting up in bed, Mrs Campbell’s carer left to retrieve a drink to accompany her meal.
During that time, the worker was forced to deal with immediate issues with two other residents which required her to call for assistance from another unit.
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As a result of the disruption, Mrs Campbell was left on her own for up to 20 minutes.
The carer raised the alarm on her return to the room, but Mrs Campbell was pronounced dead by a paramedic.
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On Monday at Inverness Sheriff Court, HC-One Limited pleaded guilty to failings under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The firm was fined £1.8m, with a £135,000 victim surcharge.
Debbie Carroll, lead of health and safety investigations for COPFS, said: “The death of this vulnerable woman could have been prevented if a safe system of work were in place to ensure that on any occasion she ate a meal, she was subject to an appropriate level of supervision.
“HC-One Limited’s failure left all residents at risk.”
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The firm apologised to Mrs Campbell’s family.
A spokesperson for HC-One Scotland added: “The safety and wellbeing of all our residents is our highest priority, and we have been shocked and saddened by the events that transpired in 2022.
“Following this tragic incident, we undertook an immediate and thorough investigation, implementing comprehensive steps to address the shortcomings that led to Mrs Campbell’s death.”
The company said is has teamed up with experts as part of a detailed research project “outlining the risks and steps to carefully manage said risk around a choking incident, the findings of which continue to be shared and reinforced across the organisation”.
The spokesperson added: “We are clear that this incident should never have happened, and we hope that today’s conclusion can bring a sense of closure to those who knew and loved Mrs Campbell.”
